Swimming device



May 29, 1928. 1,671,324

V. SPEZIALE SWIMMING DEVI CE Fi led May l5 1927 Vin cenza AS' aezfa 1e,

Patented May 29,1928.

VINCENZO SPEZIALE, OF MILLVILLE, NEW J ERSEY.

SWIMMING DEVICE.

Application filed May 13,

The object of the invention is to provide improvements in means to assist persons in the water to swim in various ways, or to tread water as the case may be, and to afford assistance in life-saving operations.

Expert swimmers it is well known benefit more than'do amateurs from the natural surfaces available upon the hands and feet for treading upon or pushing against the water, and it is to overcome this apparent deficiency of amateurs that the present invention is designed. i

Another object therefore i is to provide frame structures adapted to be securely, yet

1 removably at-will, attached to the lower limbs, and embodying .in their construction pivotally mounted vanes which trail through the water as the limb is moved forwardly, but which present a relative flat surface to 2 the water. as soon as the limb is kicked backwardly, whereby said vanes offer substantially no water resistance in one direction, but a maximum of such resistance when moved in the opposite direction, added to the natural effective surface of the bottom of ones foot.

A further object is to provide a device .of this character which is of low costof manufacture yet a high degree of efficiency; a device in which the individual vanes can be readily replaced when broken, or otherwise damaged; as wellasa device which at all times occupies a minimum of spacewhen removed from thelleg, and extends a minimum distance laterally from the leg when operatively associated therewith.

And a still further object is to so construct the device as to make a single size adaptable for use by persons of various heightsand having limbs of similarly varying sizes, while the means for varyingthe length of the device is incorporated with pivotal means for permitting the foot portion to oscillate with respect to the upper portion, as thefoot during certain motions of swimmingoscillates with respect to the lowerleg about the ankle.

WVith these and other objects in mind, the invention comprises further details of construction and operation fully brought out in the following description, when read in con junction with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a persons left lower leg and foot equipped with one embodiment of the invention with the vanes in retracted positions; Fig. 2 is 1927. Serial No. 190,987.

a front view of the same with theextended positions of the vanes shown in dot-anddash lines; Fig. 3 is practically a side view of Fig. 1, but showing the foot extended so that the two pivotally connected portionsof the device are angularly related; and Fig. it? is an enlarged section on the line 44 of Referring to the drawings, there isshown a frameworkcomprising two elongated membars 5 and 6, provided with spaced apertures 7, and adapted to be adjustably and pivotally connected by means of a removable bolt 8. The upper of said members 5 is provided with lateral extensions 9 slightly curved transversely in order to fit against and conform to the curvature of the upper part of the lower limb, the free end portions of said extensions being provided with straps 10, adapted to be adjustably connected together and thereby secured about ones limb by means of a buckle 11 or thealike. Attached to the member 5- 9 or forming. an integral projection is anupwardly extending plat-e portion 12, preferably provided with an outwardly, extending, bracket 13,, having an. angular portionl unitarily secured in any suitable manner to the plate 12,-while the free end portions of said bracket and said angular portion are connected by a brace 15.

Pivotally secured at 16 totheframe extensions 9 in any suitablemanner isa substantially kidney-shaped vane 17, shaped so that its opposite end portions 18 extend laterally in the plane of the central-portion l7, partially around the limb, when the va'ne is in the extended operative position shown in dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 2. It will be obvious from an examination of this figure that asthe foot of the swimmer is drawn upwardly, that his knee approaches hischin or chest, the rearward rush of water oscillates the vaneinto the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, wherein the vane offers a minimum resistance to thefiow of the water. However, as soon as the swimmer kickshislimbs rearwardly, or downwardly when in the art of-treading water, the relative reversedirection of the fiowof water catches the vane and oscillates it into the dot-and-dash position shown in Fig. 2, wherein the vane offers a maximum resistance to the water and pro- 'vides an increased effective surface to aid in swimmin since the average swimmer not equipped with. any such device as that com tion,it is obviously desirable, when not. too. expens1ve,to form thenrof spaced sheet metal disks 35, having an air chamber 36 bestraighten out their feet when. walking both of the two straps "and not the relatively minor prising the present invention relies substantially only upon the surface area of the under side of hisfoot.

The lower frame member 6 is provided with lateral extensionsQO and 21, to which is pivotally secured at 22, a vane 23, of the same general shape as the vane 17, and having laterally extending terminal projections 24, corresponding with the extensions 18 of said first-named member. The member 6 is furthermore provided with a transversely widened portion 25, provided with brackets 26, attached to said portions by means of an integral extension 27 and its rigidity insured by means of a brace28, the elements 26, 2'7 and 28 corresponding with the similarly shaped elements 13, 14; and 15, carried by the plate portion 12 of the member 5. The member 6 is furthermore provided with a longitudinally and normally downwardly extending projection 29 which forms astir rup and 1S rouiideclbeneatli the instep of the foot 30, and at its opposite free end is connected bymeans of a strap 31 with one 32, connected with the lateral'extensions 20and 2i, and which latter are -normally adjustably connected by means of a buckle 33. The stirrup extension 29 may furthermorebe secured to theforward portionof the footby means of adpistably connectedstraps 34, though this is not abso A lutely essential to the operation u. should be noted that while'thevanes 17 a and 18--can he constructed of esired materialand of i any shape. whi

a ma imum surface when in operative posidesired and curved together and united water-tight relation along the broadprincipleof construction involved details in which the applicant is primarily interested and it in this light thatthe appended claims to beconsidered. i

By referring to Fig. 8, it will be seenthat as persons equipped with this invention in the water or on" land, "andas thekneeis drawn upwardly while swimming, the pivotal connection 8, between the member-s5 and 6, provides for this angular movement and thus does not in any way hinder the free oscillation of the foot whenever the same may be desired. Furthermore, from the connection"hereinbefore described, it is Off the dc v ice."

b. will provide 1. A swimming device, comprising twopivotally connected members, a vane pivotally supported by each leg member, means to limit the movement of each vane in one direction, and means to secure the leg of a swimmer.

2. A swimming members each having a series of perforations, means to. pivotally and adjustablygconnect said membersithrough .1 iid perforations,

a vane pivotally carried by each. of said members, and means to limit themovement of each vane inone direction.

3. Aswimming device, comprising two members adjustably and pivotally'connected,

each member having a'transverselywicloned-- portioma vane pivotally carried by each of said members, and brackets carried bymeach of said widened portions to limit the move-p ments of the respective vanes .inua given CllIBClJlOD. i I

the device to device, comprising two till LA swimming device, comprising two it each of said widened portions to limitthe move ments of therespective vanes in a given di rection, and flexible means to adjustably and reinovably secureeacirof sa'jl. members to the leg of a swiminer. i i i 5. A. swimming device, comprising two members adjustably and pivotally connected,

, eacharneinber haying a transversely widened portion, a vanepivotailycarried each of said members, brackets carried by each of said widened portions to limit 'the move.

directiomone efsaidmembers being extended merits of the respective vanes ina given longitudinally in one direction to form a stirrup, and flexible means to adjustably andremovably secur stirrup to the leg of a swimmer. v

In testimony whereof I have ailixed my signature.

I VINGENZO srnzmnn.

said members and said adjustably pivotally connected, l each member having a transversely widened portion, a vane p votally carr ed said members, bracket carried by or lllli 

